20. Class Reflection

I thoroughly enjoyed this class. I have always enjoyed writing, but I have never really felt like it was much of a learned skill – I thought it was more of a natural thing. However, by writing in multiple genres, I was able to learn skill such as collaboration, research, and self-evaluation.

For example, the restaurant review paper was a bit difficult for me because I did not feel total autonomy in the finish product. This helped me to learn effective communication in a team setting. It also helped me learn different writing styles as I conformed my portion of the review to flow with those of the others in my group.

Research stretched me to learn how to find and source correct information. Frequent self-evaluations caused me to think more in-depth about why I wrote the way I did. This enabled me to see some areas where I lacked and promoted me to improve them.

I also learned that writing is an art. It is a form of expression. It is a way to actually learn about yourself -- you are able to describe your feelings and then look at them and decide if that really is how you feel. It is the opposite of a knee-jerk reaction. It is real. 

I am greatly pleased by my progress in this class. Through different arenas of writing I was able to develop writing skills. I was able to improve my overall use of language, and I believe that I have become a more persuasive writer because of the activities that we participated in throughout this semester. I plan to take the lessons I learned in this class and apply them to both my creative and professional writing paths.

19. The Problem with Procrastination

Sister Steadman said something interesting in class today. She explained that it is usually the talented students that end up procrastinating things because they learn at a very young age that the amount of work it takes the other kids to do in two hours can be done easily in half an hour for them.
As I thought about that, I suppose that that is true.
I certainly don't consider myself very talented, but desperation has become a close friend to me over the years.
I seem to do my best work when my nose is held to the fire, when I only have a couple more minutes to complete the task. Why this is, I don't know, but I need to change it.
How does the Lord do things? Certainly not through procrastination. Could you imagine what the world would be like today if the Savior still hadn't come? If it was a project that Heavenly Father promised he would get to before things get really bad?
No, the Lord does things right, even "before the foundation of the world".
This is obviously not because He isn't talented, this is because He understand the power of preparation.
Being prepared brings confidence in distressing or unseen circumstances. It shows dedication and a willingness. While talent may take a student far, the truth is, in the end, hard work will outlast talent. I guess you could say that hard work is a talent.
I hope that I can end my relationship with desperation and someday obtain the godly attribute of preparedness.

18. Accounts of the First Vision

Recently I had the opportunity to learn more about the accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision. I also had the opportunity to visit the Church's new history exhibit downtown. I learned about the four accounts that Joseph published himself or by his own authority.
Some of them share different details, and that is a concern to some church members, but the truth is this; when a surgeon is speaking in an operating room to his colleagues, he uses different language and rhetoric than he does with the family of the one being operated on in the hospital waiting room. This same basic principle applies to Joseph Smith’s recounting of his first vision. Joseph wrote or had published these four accounts with intentions of relating to four different groups of persons.
The 1832 account was written in his own hand in a short unpublished autobiography. The intent of this account is to add insight and value to the inner-persona of Joseph, as all good autobiographies are intended to. Joseph focuses on the turmoil inside of him, prompting him to desire to find a true New Testament church that would enable him to be forgiven from his sins.
The 1835 account was told by Joseph to a single person, Robert Matthews, a visitor to Kirtland, Ohio. Just as any person would adjust their speech from a group of people to just one face-to-face, Joseph changes his tone and includes details that may have acted as distraction to a larger group. He includes the detail of angels appearing in the vision, while the Lord appeared first, then followed by the Lord. Though this is a point of confusion for many, I believe that the Lord first recorded was the Father, while the second was the Son.
The 1838 account is the one that you and I are most accustomed too. This was intended to be the “official” account for the church and others, it is the account that is canonized in the Pearl of Great Price today. This account is geared to educate all walks of life, focusing on the general and need-to-know elements of the vision. It focuses on the part of the vision that applies to us all – not that Joseph received a remission of his sins, but rather that the Lord’s church was not to be found on the earth at that time.
The 1842 account was written in response to a newspaper that wanted to know what the Mormons were all about. So naturally, this account was tailored to provide the most useful information to those who were not members of the Church and unfamiliar with Latter-day Saint doctrine. It is concise and straightforward to keep the focus and enhance the clarity of the newspaper’s audience.
We change the way we talk to different groups of people just like Joseph did. He used ethos, pathos, and logos in different combinations so that he could create the most value to his immediate audience.

17. President Monson

We have all heard it recently, "President Monson sure is looking frail. Do you think this will be his last conference? Oh, it's so sad."
While I do agree that it certainly isn't pleasant to see the prophet appear to be in such a poor condition, I don't anything about it is sad.
I think it is noble. I think it is powerful. I think it is beautiful. I think it is a great lesson to us.
Here we have a man who has literally lived and taught the gospel so hard that he can barely even stand.
I remember towards the end of President Packer's life people would sometimes groan when he would speak. They would complain that he was so old and out of function that they couldn't even understand what he was saying, plus his voice was to raspy.
I remember sitting in a chapel in Lubbock, Texas as President Packer gave what would be his last conference address.
I started to cry as he bore testimony of the power of the Atonement and the strength it brings, all while he was positioned in a chair because he could no longer stand.
I someday hope to look like those men. I hope people comment on my frail appearance. I hope I have a hard time walking. Not because of life's wild physical journey, but because I shared the gospel to every one I could as much as I could.

16. The Gospel and School

I absolutely love being able to have my religion with my school. I can't remember ever being able to pray at the beginning of the class and then relate my science textbook to Nephi's broken bow. I love that. I think it helps me to better comprehend and synthesize information.
I also believe that the Holy Ghost plays a huge part in all facets of our learning, not just the spiritual.
We read in the scriptures that the Holy Ghost will bring ALL things to our remembrance. I have definitely felt that as I have gone into a test and prayed to remember the things I had previously studied.
While you don't need an institution like BYU to feel the Holy Ghost while learning, it certainly enhances it.
I love feeling comfortable sharing my views on something contrasted with the scriptures. I love being able to do rhetorical analyses on talks given by prophets of God. I love being challenged with a class about my church that I actually get a grade for.
Many people talk about Provo as this "bubble," like it's a negative thing. What on earth is so bad about being surrounded by people who are trying to live the gospel? Why does that have to be looked down upon?
People who make fun of the BYU "zoobies" or "Happy Valley" have not been able to experience it for themselves.

15. Presentation Day

The past couple days in class we have been sharing our oral presentations on a subject we learned during the semester.
People-watching is a hobby of mine, and there is no better way to learn about the way people tick than through public speaking. It is funny to watch everybody's different nervous twitches, or hear the way their voice changes.
I am definitely not immune, whenever I speak in public my voice gets about two notches deeper and I start walking around like I have a fire on the seat of my pants.
I was actually very impressed by the students who have shared the past couple of days. All of them seemed comfortable up there, and I mean all of them.
They all looked professional, their visual aids were on-point, and they all navigated the five to seven minute time allotment masterfully.
I have come to learn at BYU how hard it really is to put yourself a cut above in the professional world. There are so many incredibly bright and talented people hear -- I feel a bit like the mule that showed up to the Kentucky Derby, but, nonetheless, I am grateful for the company that it allows me to keep.
While this may seem like a determent, it has actually encouraged me to broaden my horizons and learn new talents. I have looked more into things like free-lance journalism and public-speaking opportunities.
I suppose that necessity is indeed the mother of all innovation.

14. My Future Occupation

So, I have decided what I want to do for the rest of my life. Well, I thought I did two months ago, and then I changed my mind. And I will probably change it again.

I had intentions to become a financial adviser. Then I dabbled around a bit in that and decided nay. Then I decided I wanted to be a business consultant. But then I sat next to a girl in marketing class whose husband was one. She told me about the 100-hour work weeks, literally, so I decided to cross that one off the list too. Being an entrepreneur sounded super sweet. But then I thought long and hard for about an hour and a half and I couldn’t come up with a good idea, so I canned that one. I watched a Tom Cruise film the other day called “A Few Good Men.” It was pretty sweet, so I think I want to be an attorney now.

If I could have any job, however, that would be great. I have always wanted to be an astronaut. I loved “Apollo 11”, or may it was “Apollo 13”, I can’t remember. “Martian” was stellar, in fact it was “Interstellar.”

But I also wanted to be an NBA star. “Space Jam” was the culmination of my childhood. “Hoosiers” just gets me in the feels, and “Glory Road” is a classic. “Coach Carter” also had a hand in that.

As you can see, I have a lot of aspirations. However, the attorney-astronaut-basketball major isn’t offered here at BYU, so looks like I am out of luck. Back to the drawing board -- that’s okay, I could see myself as an artist. “Charly” was a pretty good flick….